This invention relates to obtaining blood or other body fluid samples from an indwelling catheter.
The growing concern of hepatitis and HIV exposure has made the medical community more aware of the risks of exposure to blood and blood products. It is the responsibility of the medical community to obtain, handle, and dispose of blood samples and blood collection devices in accordance with the universal precautions recommendations of the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and other procedures to minimize the risk of exposure to blood products.
Typically, to obtain blood samples from indwelling intravenous and arterial catheters, successive syringes are attached to a stopcock or valve attached to the indwelling catheter to clear the patient line of saline, medication, or old blood and to obtain the desired number of blood samples.